Conditional Uses Examples

ZERO Hechos generales o If you heat ice, it melts.

científicos, definiciones If you are a teenager, you are
(if/when) under eighteen.
FIRST Condiciones reales o If you have a birthday party,
probables en presente o you Will feel very happy.
futuro y sus
consecuencias en
presente o futuro.

WHATCH OUT: If you have a birthday party,

Podemos usar verbos you may feel happy.
modales o imperativo en If you need something, let me
lugar de Will. know.

Podemos usar Should en If you should ask her to go

lugar de presente simple, out, she’ll say yes.
dando un matiz de menor
posibilidad.

Unless=si no, a menos

que
In case=Por si…/ en el
caso de que…
As long as/so long
as/provided that=
siempre que
SECOND Condiciones poco If I had dark eyes, I would be
probables, imposibles o more beautiful.
hipotéticas en presente o If you won the lottery, what
futuro y sus would you do?
consecuencias en
presente o futuro

Consejos If I were you, I would tell her

the truth.

WATCH OUT
Podemos usar might o If I were rich I could live
could en lugar de would. travelling all around the
world.

Podemos usar Could en If I could drive, I would visit

lugar de pasado simple you.
THIRD Condiciones hipotéticas If he hadn’t been so pushing,
en pasado y sus she wouldn’t have left him
resultados en pasado (but he was pushing so she
left him)

WATCH OUT
Podemos usar might,
 should o could en lugar
de would.
MIXED 1 Condiciones hipotéticas
en el pasado y
consecuencia en el
presente
MIXED 2 Condiciones hipotéticas
en el presente y resultado
en el pasado
INVERTED Son más formales que los
condicionales normales
First: Should+sujeto+inf
Second: Were+sujeto+to
inf
Third:
Had+sujeto+participio
If I had worked harder, I could
have got a rise salary.
If I hadn’t drunk so much, I
wouldn’t feel so bad (now).
If I had a car, I would have
picked you up.
1- Should they organise
the campaign,
everything Will get
better.
2- Were they to take
the risk, they would
achieve everything
they want.
3- Had they done more
research, the
experiment wouldn’t
have been a failure.

EXERCISES

A-MIXED CONDITIONALS

1- If I (have) this homework to do, I would have gone out with you.
2- She (come) by train if she could drive.
3- They (go) for a walk if it wasn’t raining.
4- If I (be) him, I wouldn’t have quited my job.
5- If they (eat) so much, they wouldn’t feel ill now.
6- You (be) so tired if you’d gone to bed earlier.
7- David (move) to Germany next month If he’d got the job.
8- If we (win) the lottery last night, we’d be rich.

 Rewrite the conditional clause in inverted form

1. If she arrives late again, she could face disciplinary action.
 , she could face disciplinary action.
2. Tell Paul to give me ring if you happen to see him.
Tell Paul to give me a ring   .
3. If you're interested, there's a good play on at the theatre tonight.
  , there's a good play on at the theatre tonight.
4. We can always employ extra staff if the need arises.
We can always employ extra staff   .
5. If you need any more information, don't hesitate to contact me.
 , don't hesitate to contact me.

1. If he was more sensible, he would see what the problem was.

 , he would see what the problem was.
2. We would have to look for another partner if they refused to cooperate.
We would have to look for another partner   .
3. If you were promising us early delivery, we could perhaps increase our
order.
 , we could perhaps increase our order.
4. If such a situation came about, the company could go bankrupt.
 , the company could go bankrupt.
5. The government would act to defend the pound if it was necessary.
The government would act to save the pound   .
1. If she had been paying more attention, she would have noticed the red
light.
 , she would have noticed the red light.
2. I would have brought a present if I'd known it was your birthday.
I would have brought a present   .
3. If the merger had gone through, it could have resulted in a lot of
redundancies.
 , it could have resulted in a lot of redundancies.
4. He might have become a great musician if he had lived longer.
He might have become a great musician   .
5. If Japanese classes had been available, I would have taken them.
 , I would have taken them.